Patient Identification for Clinical Trials Through AI and Real-World Data

Joan Brown, EdD, MBA, CCE, Head of Operations AI/ML Rapid Development Studio, Fortrea

Dr. Joan Brown is the Head of Operations for the Rapid Development Studio for AI/ML at Fortrea. Before this role, she held several key positions at the University of Southern California (USC), including Associate Administrator (AVP) of Care Transformation & Business Intelligence for USC’s Healthcare System and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Brown has also served as the Chief Data Officer at both the Department of Surgery and the Critical Care Institute at USC’s Keck Medical Center.

Michael Yen, MD, Professor and Vice-Chair of Clinical Affairs, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine

Michael T. Yen, MD, specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the eyelids and face. He attended medical school at the University of Michigan and completed his residency at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami. He also completed a fellowship in Ophthalmic and Facial Plastic Surgery with Dr. Richard Anderson in Salt Lake City.

Isaac Rodriguez-Chavez, PhD, MHSc, MSc, Principal Consultant, Board Member and Scientific Advisor

Dr. Isaac R. Rodriguez-Chavez is a visionary biomedical leader specializing in scientific research, clinical development, regulatory affairs and digital medicine. His broad expertise encompasses infectious diseases, immunology, vaccinology, oncology, CNS disorders and rare diseases, spanning all stages of drug, vaccine, biologic and medical device development — from preclinical research to post-marketing surveillance.

Dr. Rodriguez-Chavez has held senior leadership roles at the FDA, NIH, major pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations, where he pioneered clinical research modernization through decentralized clinical trials (DCTs), real-world evidence (RWE) and digital health strategies. As former SVP at ICON plc, he led global initiatives that accelerated drug development while reducing costs. As a recognized thought leader and policy advisor, he has shaped regulatory frameworks that integrate DCTs, RWE and digital technologies into clinical research. He serves on multiple advisory boards, co-chairs the IEEE Clinical Trial Technology Modernization Network and is an editor of leading regulatory science journals.

Ashley Brenton, PhD, Vice President, RWE, Syneos Health

Ashley Brenton is the Vice President of RWE at Syneos Health, where she leads RWD and E strategy and execution. Dr. Brenton has 25 years of experience in RWE and genomics, developing and executing innovative strategies for life sciences and has deep expertise in multi-modal RWD, including claims, clinical, lab, genomic and multi-omic data types. Prior to her career in industry, Dr. Brenton was a genomic engineer in academia.

Ashley Daigneau, Head of Clinical Trials, Verana Health

Ashley Daigneau is Head of Clinical Trials at Verana Health, where she oversees the strategy and execution of innovative clinical research solutions leveraging real-world data. Ashley has more than 15 years of experience supporting the development of real-world evidence strategies and overseeing clinical study execution.